Anthony Kerr- The Art of the Vibes; with special guest Alan Skidmore

The Jazz Centre has welcomed a couple of vibraphone players as part of large ensembles, but for the first time today we put this remarkable and expressive instrument centre stage, and present British vibes master Anthony Kerr. For the last 30 years, Anthony has been at the forefront of jazz vibraphone. A long-serving soloist with the BBC Big Band, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames as well as his own ensembles, his unique and passionate style has drawn influence from Milt Jackson, Bill Evans, Gary Burton, Bobby Hutcherson and others.

​Anthony is also an established and respected jazz educator, having coached ensembles at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as well as being professor of Jazz Vibraphone at London’s Royal College of Music - a position which he has held for more than 20 years.

Anthony will perform solo for the greater part of this session, but will be joined later by his friend (and friend of the JC), the great British tenor saxophonist, Alan Skidmore. Alan's live performances are few and far between these days, so this is a rare opportunity to hear a man who has been a central and hugely creative figure in our music for fifty years or more.